As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of cinematic disasters. But none have left me as baffled and disappointed as Catwoman. Having grown up reading the comics and idolizing Michelle Pfeiffer’s portrayal of the iconic character in Batman Returns, I approached this movie with high hopes.
I’ve avoided rewatching this movie for years now, just like I steer clear of an ex who brings back only bitter memories. The year was 2004, and comic book movies were in a peculiar phase. Studio executives were experimenting with the genre, trying to find their footing after some failed attempts.
“It all started on the day that I died.”
Disregard the past portrayals of Catwoman from the literature; in this version, we’ll be focusing on Patience Phillips, a graphic designer who endures constant mistreatment at work and takes unwarranted abuse. Her boss criticizes her designs relentlessly and talks down to her, yet Patience remains committed to pleasing him. Inadvertently, she stumbles upon a hazardous new product that could harm consumers or ensnare them for life. After being eliminated due to this discovery, Patience is miraculously revived by a cat she had saved earlier. Now linked to ancient Egyptian feline mythology, Patience possesses extraordinary physical abilities and has inexplicably become an adept thief – all to seek retribution against her murderers and shield the innocent. However, can she succeed in her mission while simultaneously nurturing a romantic relationship with a captivating new police officer?
In this film, I find the backstory irritating in the most unwarranted ways as it excessively emphasizes the “cat” traits of the character. Not only does it grant her powers associated with cats, but also a secondary persona where the main character seems to lose control or forget past actions. This aspect is not developed enough to hold significance and is overused, making it hard to overlook. Furthermore, there are numerous cat-like behaviors such as drinking milk at the club, an obsession with catnip, hissing at dogs, disliking water, and eating sushi in a peculiar way that mirrors my wife’s habits. The most aggravating aspect, however, is her excessive use of cat-based puns. I pondered if her lovemaking was feline as well, but the scene only showed her boyfriend’s back post-coitus. In this movie, Catwoman uses a whip for various reasons, including resembling a tail to enhance the animal appearance. However, given how this film portrays its protagonist, I’m surprised they didn’t have her openly display that for the audience.
Pitof, the film’s director (Jean-Christophe Comar), aimed to make Catwoman’s physical appearance striking and lifelike on screen, using some CGI enhancement. Choreographer Anne Fletcher explained, “He believed she was a woman before anything else, but he wanted to explore how human body could embody feline traits.” Patience’s physicality took center stage in the film, sometimes overshadowing any depth the story might have offered. In an effort to advance female-led superhero movies, her sexuality remained prominent, as one scholarly article noted, “The film portrays her autonomy, strength, and self-determination as a result of her hypersexualization.” Consequently, her allure became the focal point rather than an aspect of her character. We couldn’t help but be captivated by her motorcycle riding skills. The costumes further accentuated this, constantly evolving to signify growing self-assurance, yet potentially conveying conflicting messages.
Halle Berry cannot be held solely responsible for the subpar lines in this production. It’s unlikely that any actor could have salvaged some of them. Berry has consistently given her all to various roles and taken dedication to new heights. For instance, she mastered Capoeira and handled the whip in this film, even performing certain stunts herself. She collaborated with a choreographer to adopt a more feline grace, spent time with animal handlers, and immersed herself by watching numerous cat videos – no, this was not just for amusement.
Despite the massive failure of the film “Catwoman” being made public, Berry refused to abandon the project. In fact, she adopted one of the cats from the shelter used during filming, attended in person to receive her Razzie award for the critically panned production, and expressed interest in directing a future Catwoman installment. Berry has publicly acknowledged fans who have continued to support the movie, and as younger audiences discover it, there’s a small but dedicated fanbase for this box office disappointment. Over time, Berry has handled the criticism for “Catwoman” gracefully, acknowledging that she wasn’t the sole culprit behind its failure.
In this cast, some names stand out with intriguing connections to popular culture. For instance, Alex Borstein brilliantly portrays Sally, who is best known as Lois Griffin from “Family Guy.” Similarly, Peter Wingfield, the doctor met with a gruesome end, was previously Methos in the “Highlander” TV series. It’s hard not to associate Lambert Wilson with anyone but The Merovingian after seeing his performance as George Hedare. While Sharon Stone delivers an adequate portrayal of our main antagonist, Laurel Hedare, it seems that the material she worked with and certain on-set stories suggest she became disengaged at some point. However, I must admit that my criticism might be unjustified towards one particular individual involved in the production.
I’ve been pondering whether Benjamin Bratt (known for his roles in Law & Order and Traffic) has sex appeal or not, if he makes a good leading man – my wife thinks not, so I’m taking her word for it. In this film, he portrays Detective Tom Lone, an intriguing loner who saves women from perilous situations and performs police duties like examining handwriting samples and lip imprints to ensure his latest love interest isn’t a criminal. However, despite these qualities, I can’t help but feel that his presence in the movie is unnecessary. The film could be shortened or improved by focusing more on other aspects of Patience’s life. It seems he may prove useful towards the end, but then he almost gets himself killed again.
As a long-time film critic with a deep appreciation for both style and substance, I’ve seen my fair share of cinematic triumphs and disasters. And let me tell you, Catwoman (2004) falls squarely into that second category. Now, don’t get me wrong, our leading actors like Halle Berry did their best with the material they were given, but when it comes to apportioning blame for this cinematic misfire, we can’t overlook the role of the director, Pitof.
During the production of the film, some green screen effects and other adjustments were required due to last-minute reshoots. The team was still working on these shots just a month before the movie hit theaters, even revising the script while editing. According to the director, there were constant rewrites throughout the entire production period, right up until the final moments. Several writers contributed to this project, with four credited and another reportedly consulted. When the last writer joined, his script was discarded, replaced by a combination of the previous two. This led to an inconsistent storyline further complicated by studio intervention and demands. One writer, Jon Rogers, described it as “a film without merit, hastily released by the studio at the end of a trend, with no cultural significance, neither on-screen nor behind-the-scenes.”
In the early stages of Batman Forever’s production, the creators aimed for a more family-friendly tone. Initially, Catwoman was intended to be truer to Tim Burton’s earlier portrayal, which was darker. However, only a picture of Michelle Pfeiffer’s rendition of the character remains in this film as evidence of that intention. After Pfeiffer left the project in the ’90s, potential replacements like Ashley Judd and Nicole Kidman were considered but ultimately declined, leaving the production in a standstill until Halle Berry expressed interest. Even when the idea for this new version was first proposed, there existed drafts that were more serious and closer to the comics. Unfortunately, Warner Brothers didn’t believe it would succeed.
Producer Denise Di Novi initially planned for “Catwoman” as a modest production without a major star, focusing on an authentic origin story based on a realistic concept. However, when other DC projects were not approved, “Catwoman” underwent significant transformations. The most notable change was the prohibition of any Batman references whatsoever. With the urgency to proceed due to the rejected DC films, pre-production accelerated and there was increased pressure to uphold the brand without utilizing the desired elements.
Additionally, marketing challenges arose due to public backlash over Berry’s initial Catwoman appearance in the movie. Online responses to her early outfit photos were predominantly negative, leaving a bitter taste for some viewers regarding the character. Initially planned marketing initiatives, such as a Catwoman Barbie doll and an animated series, were subsequently shelved once Warner Bros. recognized the situation.
It’s unfortunate that Berry and others involved in the film had good intentions, but it seems they shouldn’t have tackled a Catwoman story. With different creators and without studio intervention, the outcome could have been better. However, given the current state of affairs, we may never know how many potential masterpieces were derailed by this misinterpretation of an iconic character.
At least it’s better than Batman & Robin — nope. No, I don’t even think I can say that.
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2024-07-25 00:40